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THE SPANISH PRINCESS: “The Battle for Harry” (S1E4): All Hail Margaret Regina

THE SPANISH PRINCESS: “The Battle for Harry” (S1E4): All Hail Margaret Regina

THE SPANISH PRINCESS: "The Battle for Harry" (S1E4): All Hail Margaret Regina

Let’s get into our time machine and go back once again to the 16th Century to visit The Spanish Princess!  Grab a cup of red wine and a plate of sugared oranges, because it’s time to see what those madcap Tudors have been up to since last week.

The Mother of All Mothers

All is quiet in the palace, but Margaret Beaufort is wandering around, eavesdropping. Many nobles are embroiled in a secret meeting to raise troops in France and plant another York on the throne. Cardinal Wolsey issues a bribe for information to be funneled to Margaret.

One month has passed since Elizabeth of York’s death and Henry is still in a depression. His mother is concerned that he hasn’t eaten, bathed or slept. Margaret also brings Henry up to speed with Catherine and mentions that since he is not with child, she has to go. After Henry tells his mother of her grandson’s intention to marry his brother’s widow, ever concerned with piety, Margaret is in shock.

THE SPANISH PRINCESS: "The Battle for Harry" (S1E4): All Hail Margaret Regina
source: STARZ

In a stately room, Catherine encounters Harry standing at his mother’s coffin and poses the question as to how she could leave Spain, knowing she may not lay eyes on her mother again. Catherine tells Henry about Spain’s famed bullfighting and compares him to the matador in the tale, broken but still standing.

Margaret Beaufort walks in on the gathering of the King’s council, informing them of her son’s dreadful state. Once the two Thomases (Boleyn and Wolsey) express the public’s potential uprising to indeed put a York back in power. Margaret stresses that her son will return to ruling when he is ready, but someone has to stand in as regent in the meantime:herself. She wastes no time barking orders at the council, but will personally take on the task of dealing with Catherine.

Beaufort certainly likes confronting and telling off everyone in her presence, and Catherine is no exception. After Margaret directly tells Catherine that she cannot marry Harry because she was wed to Arthur, Catherine keeps up her lie (with support from Lina). Margaret sees right through her, confessing that she has spies everywhere. Catherine continues to refute what Margaret slings at her. Fed up with the bull and fed up with her, Margaret orders Catherine and her entourage out of her palace, as she is now “the king”.  A (slightly) remorseful Catherine ponders their precarious situation, and while Lina has gone off to try to find them somewhere to stay, Catherine remembers more words of wisdom from her mother regarding  her ongoing battle: “It is he who continues the attack who wins, and we always win.”

Next up on Margaret’s “I’ll Tell You What to Do” tour, she has a tête a tête with her grandson about his desire to marry Catherine. Yet again, she stresses her tremendous displeasure at the notion, quoting Biblical text about how much it is a sin for someone to lay with their brother’s wife. Harry retorts how they still need to keep the alliance with Spain, counterpointing with more Biblical references and asking his grandmother if her intuition is better than his.

She Needs to Work on Her Bedside Manner

Lina asks Thomas Boleyn where they can find housing and Oviedo accompanies her to check out the modest residence over on the Strand that is owned by the Church. While the conditions aren’t exactly what they’re used to, Oviedo decides to lay his heart on the line yet again. We get it. Lina’s torn between having to marry a Tudor noble or a mere soldier, and it was sweet that they were giving names to their potential children, but get on with it already!

THE SPANISH PRINCESS: "The Battle for Harry" (S1E4): All Hail Margaret Regina
source: STARZ

Maggie and Richard Pole return to the palace following Elizabeth’s death. While giving her respects to Henry, she humbly expresses her sorrow at how things were left between herself and Elizabeth. Still grief-stricken, Henry is in no mood to hear it and points the finger at his wife’s cousin for causing her distress; basically causing her death. Meg needs a woman’s touch as she prepares to leave for Scotland, so Maggie will have to do, as Henry commands her to help.

Margaret Beaufort discovers the identity of who has been conspiring with France:  Edmund de la Pool, yet another cousin to Maggie Pole. Margaret wastes no time with her fourth confrontation: that of our good Lady Pole.  Maggie is interrogated about her cousin (who she hadn’t had anything to do with) and Catherine’s alleged lies. She answers one and deflects against the other. Lady Pole is later thrown out the palace and for all intents and purpose,  kidnapped on the way back to her home. When she is taken to another location and locked up, a figure wearing a plague mask approaches her. It’s none other than her rogue cousin, Edmund. He’s ready to take up the cause to get their family back in power, but Maggie has no interest and refuses to risk it.

Since Lina is still skating around her feelings for Oviedo, he decides to calls her bluff by joining the English army. Beaufort wastes no time hooking this new fish onto her line. Hey, she’s always recruiting more spies! Is this defection to defy the woman he loves or just a cheap ploy to get some inside information?

Meg Tudor seems to have softened regarding her impending nuptials. As she is having her wedding dress made in white damask, Maggie mentions that her mother’s dress was red, and some of the fabric is used for trim. Meg is finally set to leave the nest and her father comes out to send her off, with the rest of the fabric cuffed around his wrist. In those days, richly colored clothes in reds, blacks, and purples were not only extremely expensive, but were only worn by royalty, nobility, and clergy. Meg says goodbye to her family and rides off from the palace.

Does Father Know Best?

At yet another festivity at court, Henry fully comes out of his mourning to address the crowd. Bringing up marriage and the future in his speech, Harry and Catherine expect their impending engagement to be announced, but a bomb is dropped. Having contemplated his wife’s dying request, he will honor it. Henry intends to marry Catherine himself.

THE SPANISH PRINCESS: "The Battle for Harry" (S1E4): All Hail Margaret Regina
source: STARZ

I like how this was a Margaret Beaufort-centered episode, which demonstrated just how involved she was in everything. Not only was she taking control of the court when her son was grief-stricken, but you know she relished having all the power. Her nose was in everyone’s business and she tells everyone what to do, but unlike what was shown in The White Princess, Henry has yet to put his mother in her place.  Historically, Margaret Beaufort was truly a force of nature and she accomplished quite a bit in her lifetime. One bit of insight into Margaret’s pride and determination to show how far she came, once she got her son on the throne, she signed her letters “Margaret R”, which has often been attributed as Margaret Regina (Latin for queen).

Oh, Rosa. Are you going to get it in your pretty head one of these days? You’re young, woefully naïve, and still cozying up to a very married man. This is a recipe for disaster.  Anyone else have a “Huh?” moment when Lina asked Thomas Boleyn for help in getting Catherine a new residence? After all, many years later, he will use his own daughter to supplant the very woman he is assisting. Finally, a juicy storyline for Henry! I called the very surprise his springs at court! He faced a caged lion earlier in the episode, and he will assuredly face another: his son.

Four pomegranate seeds have been gathered, and we are halfway through the episodes! Come on back next week as I cover Episode 5, “Heart Versus Duty”.

Will Harry fight his father for the woman he wants to wed? Is Margaret Beaufort going overboard with her behavior? Let us know in the comments below!

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